Calligraphy Styles
There are three basic style: kaisho, gyousho, and sousho. Kana might be added as a fouth style. Kaisho, a block style with little movement, is also called shinsho. Gyousho is an intermediate style neither as stiff as kaisho nor as flowing as sousho. Sousho is a highly cursive style written with swift strokes. Its freedom and aesthetic appeal has made sousho very popular with calligraphy masters.
Kana originated in the more extreme forms of sousho. Because it was the primary script for Heian women, kana was at one time referred to as onnade (women's writing). Kana developed with the growing popularity of waka poetry. Compared to the boldness of Chinese characters kana is elegant and refined. Japanese calligraphy is judged not only by its surface beauty and meaning but also by the calligrapher's character.